Claiming that Narendra Modis toilets first,temples later remark was a result of political compulsion and not conviction,Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh Thursday said Modi was capable of saying or doing anything to become prime minister.

Given the importance of sanitation,Im glad the Gujarat Chief Minister has got enlightenment,even if it is borne out of his blind desire for the PMs post, Ramesh said.

At a function in Delhi on Wednesday,Modi had said we should build toilets first and temples later. Ramesh also hit out at the BJPs silence over Modis statement,given that the party made an issue over a similar statement made by Ramesh last year.

I had made a similar statement on October 5,2012. At that time,Bajrang Dal and VHP activists had come to my house to protest and did not let me leave my home for an hour… they urinated in front of my house… Why are they silent today? Ramesh said,adding that BJP leaders Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Prakash Javadekar,who had also attacked his statement,were quiet now. He added that if Modis enlightenment had happened 22 years ago,India would have been spared of the communal riots in different parts of the country.

Referring to BSP leader Kanshi Rams suggestion that the best solution for the Ayodhya dispute was to build a public toilet at the disputed site,Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh tweeted: Would VHP RSS BJP react the same way as they did when Kashiramji made similar statement about Ayodhya?…Or they would support the statement of Modi their chosen PM candidate? VHP RSS BJP must clarify. Else their Temple issue stands exposed.

Togadia hits out at Modi

Allahabad: VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Thursday slammed BJPs prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his reported statement that constructing toilets should take precedence over building temples. We are stunned and shocked to hear about the unnecessary mention of temples by Narendra Modi in a statement wherein he was talking about the need for better sanitation facilities in the country, the VHP international working president said in a statement. We too believe in the need for better hygiene. But the way temples were dragged in the matter was uncalled for. It is nothing short of an insult to the Hindu society, Togadia said. PTI